Gas-fire



C. SCOTT-SNELL.

GAS FIRE.

APPLICATION FILED 02c. 2a, 1916.

1,343,484.. Patented June 15, 1920.

h I 1 11. I 7 W I f; v I'cv 71 1277 MJM-M 2 UNITED STATES,

PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES SCOTT-SNELL, OF WIMBLEDON, ENGLAND; ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF TO DAVID ANDERSON, OF GRAVESEND, KENT, ENGLAND,

GAS-FIRE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented J une 15 192() Application'filed December 28, 1916/ Serial No. 139,351.

combined with means for boiling water or I warming and cooking food or the like.

It has been usual in such fires to place a mass of fireclay at the back of the refractory material, which becoming heated throws heat by radiation into the room.

Such material is generally backed also by metal and when the gas fire has been in operation for some time it will be found that this metal attains a considerable temperature.

As however this metal generally is backed up against a fire-place the heat therefrom, whether radiant or carried off by air convection currents, usually finds its way up the chimney without benefit to the room.

Until such a backing to the refractory material becomes warmed, it is of course reducing the effectiveness of the fire, and delaying the attainment of maximum heat delivery to the room. Cold masses also tend to prevent complete combustion and cause the reproduction of deleterious and obnoxious elements in the products.

The object of my invention is to eliminate these objections and to produce a gas fire which shall be quicker in reaching maximum heat delivery as well as giving a highei efficiency, and also to provide an increase in its utility as a domestic article.

This invention consists in constructing gas fires without the usual fireclay or like masses or backings, and we so arrange the radiants at a distance from, but in front of heat mirrors, which reflect forwardly or angularly the heat rays passing backward from the rear part of the radiants.

By the term heat mirrors I refer to heat reflecting surfaces which act as regards heat in the same manner as an ordinary mirror does as regards light. it being a scientific fact that heat rays follow the same laws as those affecting light. that is. the angle of incidence is equal to-the angle of reflection.

To prevent loss by non-effective dispersion of heat rays and to effectively carry out the above law the emissive surface of the radiant should be a plane surface. It" becomes possible to design these, fires on scientific lines,

that'is to say, to arrange the angles of the heat mirrors and the surfaces from which the heat is emitted in such relation to each other that the heat rays projected normally from the latter when received upon the former shall find uninterrupted passage into the room.

Further, this invention also consists in making it possible by adjustment of the angles of the heat mirrors to project the rays in a manner best insuring etficientdistribution in a room. Thus for example if a room be narrow and long and the gas fire be placed in the lesser wall, rays parallel to the longer wall are preferable. On the other hand, if the gas fire be placed in the middle of the longer wall, lateral projection of the heat rays will be more effective for the distribution and diffusion of such rays.

It would obviously be possible, where the mirrors must for some reason occupy a certain position, to cause the projection of the heat rays in a given direction by varying the position of the heat emitting surfaces. Thus if a heat mirror be arrang'd as a fiat surface parallel to a wall, the heat emitting surfaces may be set relatively thereto to throw the reflected heat in a given direction, the law of the angle of incidence being equal to the angle of reflection being followed in the design thereof.

The accompanying drawings show an embodiment of this invention in which Figure 1 shows a front elevation of a gas fire, constructed according to this invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan thereof partly in section, and Fig. 3 is a cross section on the vertical line X Y of Fig. 2.

V In Fig. 1 a denotes the refractory material or radiants and 5;.tl1e reflectors or heat mirrors, the heat rays normal to the back faces of the radiants a striking upon the inclined surfaces of the fixed heat mirrors b which are projected across to second heat mirrors 0 placed at an angle to the mirrors 7/, and from thence in a forward or outward direction into the room. ,The mirrors e are connected to the mirrors 7; by hinge joints 1) whereby their position can be varied; by such means the angle of reflection is varied by adjusting the position of such mirror whereby the heat rays can be caused. to cover a wider or narrower area according to requirements, and securing such mirror in the desired position by means of the bolt 0 which engages the holes (Z'in the foundation plate (Z of the gas fire.

A further addition to the foundation plate 65 of the gas fire consists in providing a front plate 0 which is hinged to the plate 1'! at (Z the angle of which can be adjusted by means of a hand screw secured and working in a bracket 9 firmly attached to the underside of the plate d. By means of the platee the heat rays from the front of the radiants a can be deflected in an upward direction at a varying angle so that any article requir- 20 ing to be heated can be suspended in the path of. such rays by the hook it attached to the upper front part of the gas fire.

The products of combustion after escaping from the radiants follow the course shown by the arrows and can be led to any suitable outlet. The upper part of the gas fire forms a hot plate which can be used as a means for heating or keeping warm any articles. V

The burners used in these stoves are of the usual atmospheric type and are surrounded with molded fire clay radiants supported in any suitable manner as shown in the drawings. e

The bright heat mirrors besides contributing to the efiiciency of these gas fires give them an elegant appearance when unlighted and when lighted the reflection of the incandescent material adds to the appearance as well as the reality of warmth and comfort.

The radiant heat thrown into the room is of course pure and therefore hygienically perfect, having no tendency to vitiate the atmosphere, it is therefore especially suitable for sick rooms and elsewhere when warmth and freshness are desirable. The additional facility it offers for such little comforts as keeping a kettle boiling or toast hot without the necessity of lighting other burners which discharge their products into the room,

makes it very useful in homes of limited means, apart from its advantages of economy, lightness and handsome appearance.

In makingu-p various patterns of gas fires the refractory materlal or radiant may form one flat face, or it may be arranged as two wings-at an angle to each other; in any case the heat mirrors for effective action should be fitted to comply with the law that the angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A gas fire comprising an open fronted heating element consisting of a vertically disposed radiant refractory body suitably fixed to a base plate and provided with a series of openings therein for the reception of gas heating burners in combination with rearwardly located metallic reflector plate elements, angularly disposed thereto, whereby the heat rays from the rear face of the radiant are projected firstly on to the faces of fixed angularlyarranged mirror elements and secondly to the face of adjustable mirror elements working on a hinge joint and thence in an outward direction coinciding with the heat rays issuing from the open front of the radiant element into an apartment or chamber, substantially as described.

2. A gas fire as claimed in claim 1 providing the fixed base plate of the fire with a front hinged plate forming a horizontal deflector the angular position of which can be varied by an adjusting screw abutting on the underside thereof, said screw being supported and working in a bracket secured to the fixed base plate, whereby the angle of such hinged plate can be adjusted to direct the heat rays in an upward direction for the purpose described.

3. In a gas fire of the type as specified in claim 2, providing an inclosed top thereto in combination with a flue pipe for directing the products of combustionto-any suitable outlet.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

CHARLES SCOTT-SNELL. 

